Wireless communication systems are becoming increasingly utilized by a wide variety of consumers. Traditionally, wireless voice systems have driven the use of such technology. In fact, wireless voice traffic has exploded in the last few years.
Wireless communication systems also include wireless data services. Consequently, a rapidly growing demand for wireless data services has coincided with the increased wireless voice traffic. Therefore, there is a need for systems which can provide both wireless voice access and wireless data access.
As wireless communication systems become more ubiquitous, the demand has increased for improved coverage inside confined areas, such as buildings and tunnels. As a result, products exist for providing the distribution of wireless voice traffic in confined areas, such as inside a building. For example, Andrew Corporation, which is the owner of the present application, currently offers the InCell™ System for in-building wireless communications. The InCell™ System improves and extends the RF voice traffic coverage, such as for cell phones and pagers, into buildings and other hard-to-penetrate indoor areas. The InCell™ System, for example, can support cellular and PCS communication services, and also has dual-band capabilities for carrying multiple wireless services. The InCell™ System can also be easily upgraded to accommodate third generation (3G) services. As such, the InCell™ System offers a quick, simple, and cost-effective way of extending and improving in-building wireless voice coverage without resorting to major structural work within the building.
Also coinciding with the demand for wireless data services, several wireless service providers are deploying wireless data networks, in similar venues inside buildings. Such wireless data networks generally conform to the 802.11b standard. However, such data systems are usually specifically dedicated to data traffic, and are generally not expandable with respect to other wireless services. Furthermore, such existing wireless data networks require significant structural work or retrofitting of a building in order to install such systems, in addition to any wireless voice system that is installed in the building.
As may be appreciated, facility operators may be reluctant to undertake additional installations, for example, in addition to a voice system installation, if structural work is significant. Specifically, a facility operator who has made an initial investment with respect to installing either a wireless voice system or a wireless data system, does not want to then turn around and install another such system for providing improved wireless voice and/or data coverage within the same building.
Furthermore, wireless data service providers are often not as financially strong as typical wireless voice service providers, and thus may also be reluctant to install their systems within a venue which would require significant installation costs.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to have a system which improved and extended voice and data coverage indoors, such as within a building or hard-to-penetrate areas, and which may be readily and cost-effectively installed. As such, it would be desirable for such a system that combines both the capabilities of wireless voice extension and wireless data delivery, and which would require only a single installation.
It is also desirable to be able to retrofit an existing in-building wireless voice system for providing in-building coverage for wireless voice and data services.
Accordingly, the present invention addresses these desires within the market, and provides a system for providing indoor wireless voice and data distribution.